Time To Prepare Paczki For Ash Wednesday’s Tradition LORETTA GOLDEN Cambria Co. Correspondent PORTAGE (Cambria Co.) In these parts, just mentioning the word “paczki” will probably put a smile on the faces of many people. There may be a wave of nostalgia or perhaps even a yearning for simpler times. What exactly does this word mean? “Paczki” is a Polish word des cribing a doughnut-like Med pas try made from a rich bread dough. Originally, paczki was a quick Roseann Bamas, with grandchildren, Grace and Deanna Troxel, agea 6 and 4, forming paczki. treat made for the children from dough that was rolled out slightly and then cut into squares, circles, strips, and other shapes and deep fried. Other ethnic groups have their own specific words for these little delicacies but they are all basically made the same way. They can be coated with sugar, cinnamon sugar, confectioners’ sugar, or filled with jelly. Roseann Barnas of R.D. Port age provided little background, re cipe, and a “how-to” demonstra- ice, Deanna, and Doug reaping the fruits of their labor. tion about paczki. Her two grand daughters, Deanna and Grace Troxel, ages 4 and 6. were there to lend a hand. Roseann grew up with one sister and two brothers and fondly remembers her mother making paczki for the children. She recalls that as kids, she and her siblings looked forward to mo ther’s bread-making days. They knew that any leftover bread dough would be turned into treats for the children. In past years, people seemed to ascribe more to the “waste not, want not” way of life. Times were tough. Folks raised their own cows, pigs, and chickens and used almost every bit for something. Bones were saved for soup and laid was rendered from the animal fat This was what was used for hying the paczki. Needless to say people didn’t watch their diets or cholesterol intake as much as they do now. Roscann recalls that some of the flour used years ago was sur plus flour and at times not much good for baking. It was not thrown out but used for things like paczki or pancakes. After Roseann married, she and her husband had eight children: John, Jr.. Mary Lou, Veronica, Ei leen, Rose, Linda, Georgiann, and Marsha. Mary Lou says that her mom made paczki for the family just as her grandmother had. The family now includes a daughter in-law and sons-in-law, 17 grand children, and one great-grandson. Granddaughter Grace says that lit tle Deanna is the paczki eater in their house but they also had a special order to fill for their mom Marsha who wanted paczki coated with cinnamon sugar. Traditionally Fat Tuesday is Paczki Day. In the past, fasting re gulations during Lent for various religious groups were more strict than they are today. Since paczki Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 25,1995-B3 Deanna, sugaring cinnamon paczki, to fill her mom’s special order. ' 4 i Grace (left) and Deanna resting after a hard day’s work. is a sweet treat, quite a few were eaten on the day before Ash Wed nesday because these, along with other sweets, were “given up” for Lent. A local supermarket chain takes orders for paczki for Fat Tuesday. The busy lifestyles of today’s families prevent many homemak ers from making homemade bread. Quick paczki can be made with frozen bread dough or by deep frying refrigerator biscuits. The taste is similar. These are big sellers in the area during the church picnic season. Roseann was gracious enough to share her recipe. It is one that she has used for many years and claims that there is nothing special about it other that its being a richer bread dough recipe. Kcr grand daughters helped with the “sugar ing” but Grace reminded grandma that they were not allowed any where near the stove while grand ma was doing the actual paczki- making. When the paczki-making was finished, 17-year-old grandson, Doug came in to do his part eating this special treat. Rich White Bread' 4 'A -5 cups all purpose flour (do not use self-rising flour) 14 cup warm (not hot) water 2 packages active dry yeast V* cup lukewarm milk 14 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 14 cup shortening 2 eggs Spoon flour (not sifted) into dry measuring cup. Level off and pour measured flour onto waxed paper. Soak yeast in 14 cup warm (not hot) water for five minutes. Combine lukewarm milk, sug ar, and salt in large mixing bowl. Stir to dissolve. Beat in shortening, eggs, yeast mixture, and 2 cups flour (not sift- (Tum to Pago B 4)
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